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  Bekind looked back at me. I tried not to wince.

  “She’ll be fine,” Bekind said haughtily.

  “No,” Grim said. “She’s in pain, and she’s struggling. We’ve a long way to go. We could use some help, please.”

  Realtín flew up to the woman, streams of red dashing from her. “Can you help?”

  “Of course we can. We’re the sisters of the wood,” a voice from another tree said scornfully. “The daughters of Miach. Who can help more than we?”

  And then I saw that there were many, all of them kneeling, sitting, or hanging from high branches.

  “Interesting,” Grim murmured. “I thought them legend.”

  “You know them?” I asked.

  “I’ll explain later.” He raised his voice to say, “We’ll willingly accept your help. Do as you will.”

  Bekind threw her hands up in frustration.

  “No more riding today,” another of the women said. “We’ll clean her up and help her, and soon she’ll be tough as leather. First things first, though. This way.”

  As one, they dropped from the branches to the ground. They ran, disappearing into the trees.

  “Come on then,” Bekind said with a sigh. She transformed and dove into the woods.

  Dubh bent his knees, and I took the hint.

  “Thank you so much,” I whispered when my feet were on the ground.

  Dubh followed Bekind but kept his pace slow so that I could keep up. I probably shouldn’t have trusted the weird tree women, but I was in desperate need of relief.

  “Tell me about them, Grim.”

  “We used to call them the Miacha. Old tales, mostly forgotten. Miach was a great healer, killed by his father out of jealousy because he surpassed him. Some say that the father cut Miach’s brain in half as a final resort.”

  “Why his brain?”

  “Because Miach healed all of the other injuries given to him. The brain was the only possible fatal wound.”

  “But he had kids first?”

  Grim shook with his head, smiling. “Not quite. The variation I heard was this: When Miach lay on the ground, dead by all accounts, his father knelt over his son’s body and cried with regret. His tears mixed with Miach’s blood and sank into the earth. Over time, something grew there, and around it, the Great Forest was formed.”

  “Well, what grew there?”

  “The sisters of the forest. Born of his blood with all of his knowledge intact.” He grinned. “Sounds unbelievable to you, I know, but that’s the tale. They are born of Miach, so they are his daughters.”

  “You fae are so freaking weird sometimes. I like the story though. You should tell me more tales some time. I think I remember the story of Miach and his father, but I’d never heard of his daughters.”

  “Perhaps it’s a legend fostered by those who want us to believe.”

  Realtín snorted. “Even if the story is true, that doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth about who they are.”

  We walked through the forest until we came to a well-worn track. Beyond lay a stream and an ivy-covered house. A large herb garden had been planted beside it.

  Grim sniffed the air. “Smells like… I think we’ll be safe here, Cara. I’m sure they can help you.”

  Realtín snarled. “If they don’t, I’ll torment them until they throw themselves into that stream.”

  One of the women greeted us at the door. They all looked alike. Their skin was weathered and wrinkled, their eyes hooded. They were short, not much larger than Grim. I kept picturing them growing from the earth and spawning an entire forest. Looking at their flourishing garden, I could almost believe it.

  “Come on in,” the woman said. “Let’s get started. The horse isn’t to eat any of our plants, mind.”

  Grim, Realtín, and I headed inside while Dubh went to drink from the stream. The house’s interior was deceptively large. The air was cool and somehow soothing. Plants covered most of the surfaces.

  The woman took my hand. “I’ll take her to the bedroom and sort her out.” She waved at Grim. “Brownie, get a bite to eat in the kitchen. Go on. Nobody will force you to stay. And make sure that sprite of yours doesn’t knock anything over as she noses around.”

  I followed her up some winding stairs and into an attic bedroom. Bekind was already there, curled up on a pillow on the bed, her black fur gleaming red in the sunlight streaming through the small window. Dust motes flew in the air. It all seemed so normal. But nothing was normal with the fae. I hesitated at the door.

  “Move or they won’t be able to get the bath in,” the woman said.

  Four others carried a hip bath full of steaming water inside as soon as I moved out of the way. The women looked identical to me at first, but then I noticed they all had different coloured eyes.

  The grey-eyed woman said, “In the bath first of all.”

  “I’m okay,” I said.

  “Now, don’t be shy. You don’t have anything new to show us, that’s for sure.” The women all laughed as one.

  A little self-consciously, I undressed and stepped into the bath. At first, the water felt cool, but as I eased into it, it warmed up nicely. The water smelled minty and felt a little tingly.

  “Oh,” I said. “That’s so much better.”

  “Need to soothe your muscles first,” the green-eyed woman said. “You must be stiff as a board.”

  “A little.” I started to doze off, then I heard a clattering downstairs and some raised voices. “Realtín,” I murmured.

  “Never mind her,” the pink-eyed one said with a chuckle. “Here, drink this.”

  She held a glass to my lips. I sipped some tangy water. It wasn’t too bad, and I felt even more relaxed afterward.

  “Won’t hurt as much now,” she said. “I promise. Safe to drink. Don’t you worry. We nourish and cultivate here. We like life to continue the way it should.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I can feel it working already.”

  She winked. “Our herbs are the most fertile.”

  They let me soak for what seemed like ages. Then Grey Eyes told me it was time to get out.

  “You’ll feel better,” Pink Eyes said, “just as soon as we use our best ointment.”

  They had me lay face-down on the bed. They covered me with towels while they inspected the welts on my legs and backside. I saw some of the marks in the mirror and winced.

  Blue Eyes sucked air through her teeth. “That must have hurt.”

  Green Eyes sighed and rubbed my back. “Poor thing is delicate as a flower and on such a horse in her condition. What were they thinking?”

  The women tutted over me as they soothed the pain with ointments and creams. Then, they bandaged the sorest places.

  “You’ll be better before you know it,” Green Eyes said, handing me a light summer dress. “Get dressed and come downstairs. Once you have a bite to eat, we’ll give you something to help you sleep. You’ll have the best rest of your life tonight.”

  Bekind jumped off the bed and ran downstairs. I threw on the dress and followed her. The women doted over me for some reason. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was human or because they felt sorry for me or both.

  I ate a great meal while Grim and Realtín watched over me. The women chattered as they cooked and cleaned and served us. It was almost like having ten mothers. I liked their home, and I wasn’t keen on leaving. But Brendan needed us, and we had to keep moving.

  “You’re welcome here anytime,” Brown Eyes whispered to me after dinner. “Always. Remember that when the path is rough or you need help.”

  “I doubt I could find you again.”

  She gave me a secret smile. “You never know.”

  True to their word, the Miacha gave me a sleeping draught. The night seemed to pass in seconds, but I awoke refreshed and ready to go. I headed downstairs to find the others eating breakfast in the kitchen.

  “Come in and eat,” Grey Eyes said. “You’ll feel much better.”

  “H
ow was your sleep?” Pink Eyes asked.

  “Good,” I said. “Great, actually. I feel a lot better.”

  “Can you ride today?” Bekind asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Not until the afternoon,” Blue Eyes said. “What are you thinking sending her out already? You eat up, little lady. We’ll give you a nice bath and set you up to travel. Don’t you worry.”

  They cooed over me as I ate, only stopping short of spoon-feeding me. Grim and I shared a bemused glance over their enthusiasm.

  “Perhaps they haven’t met a human before,” he muttered as they good-humouredly fought over serving me seconds.

  I had another healing bath, and the women used more ointments and redressed the bandages. They prepared to send us off—after another meal, of course—with some bundles of herbs, all with different uses.

  “Now don’t forget,” Green Eyes said, patting my hand as I eased up on Dubh. “Chew on one pain leaf every time the aching starts. And whenever you can bathe, use the jar of ointment I gave you. Get rid of the bandages unless you really need them.” She handed me a little bundle. “There’s enough to last a week in there.” She looked at Grim. “She’ll be fine for a few hours, but don’t overdo it. She’s not as strong as she looks.”

  Embarrassed, I looked away. I was strong. I had to be strong.

  “Thank you for your help,” Grim said. “If we can ever repay you…”

  “You’ll see us again. That’s a certainty, at least.” She squeezed my hands. “And congratulations.”

  I gave a weak smile, wondering why she was congratulating me because a new king had been crowned. Unless she knew who we were and thought… well, who knew what kinds of conclusions random fae would come to?

  “Let’s go,” Bekind said. She transformed into a cat and set off.

  The riding hurt but nowhere near as much. With the pain eased, I could enjoy the journey.

  But we were growing closer to danger. Soon, we would reach the dark side of the fae realm, where the rift had supposedly changed the very fabric of the world.

  Chapter Five

  By the time we rested for the night, the aching had begun again in the lower half of my body, but once I chewed on another bitter leaf, I felt much better.

  “This is miracle stuff. Any idea what it is?” I asked.

  Bekind shrugged, staring into the fire, her eyes gleaming. I didn’t understand her. She didn’t join in any of our conversations unless she wanted to tell one of us off, she didn’t seem happy, and she wasn’t relaxed at all. She didn’t make an effort to get to know the others, but they were obviously wary of her, too. I wondered if we would ever be like the little family we had felt like back at Brendan’s home.

  “I’m not familiar with the herb,” Grim said.

  Realtín danced above the fire. “Maybe the Miacha grew it from their noses.”

  “Nice,” I said. “Why are you here again?”

  She cackled. “Making sure you have someone to love.”

  I sighed. “I wonder what Anya and Líle are doing right now.”

  “Serving their king,” Bekind said bitterly, eyes on the fire.

  “What on earth is wrong with you?” I demanded. “You’re so sour. Ever since we started on this journey, you’ve been different.”

  “You never knew me.” She raised her head to look at me. “You knew a cat.”

  “I really liked the cat,” I said softly. “But if we’re going to spend so much time together, then surely it’s for the best if we get along.”

  “I haven’t caused any problems,” she said.

  “Bekind, that’s not what I mean. You’re doing the bare minimum, and it makes me uncomfortable. I should be mad at you for the things you’ve done, so why are you acting as though we’ve offended you?”

  Her shoulders drooped. “You haven’t. I know I’m not welcome. If you didn’t need me, I wouldn’t be here. Cara, I… the things I have to do are not always my first choice.” She turned away, closing herself off again.

  I wondered if she was talking about my mother or me. I had tried to clear the air, but somehow, the tension had grown thicker. I yawned.

  “You should lie down while Grim finishes cooking,” Realtín said. “I can see you falling headfirst into the fire.”

  I nodded and went to the blanket. Riding fatigue had definitely hit. I was soon asleep, unable to keep my eyes open long enough even to wait for the food Grim was making. I dreamed. Vividly and clearly, I kept dreaming the same thing. The night I slept with Drake replayed, except he walked away from me without a second glance, throwing a wooden butterfly in the bin. The entire time, a brash Celt stood over my shoulder saying, “I told you so,” over and over again.

  Dubh’s whinnies woke me in the middle of the night. I sat up straight, heart pounding, partly from the dream. Breathing heavily, I looked for Dubh. In the darkness, I could only see his amber eyes flashing in the dark. He was too far away from the dying fire. None of the others had woken, so I lay back down and pulled the blanket over me, ready to sleep again.

  Then I heard the sound of hooves in the distance. The night was so silent that I heard them plainly, but I couldn’t tell how far off they were.

  In a panic, I sat back up and woke the others. “Somebody’s coming.”

  Bekind jumped up. “Get as much as you can! Be ready to move. I’ll go see if I can find out what’s coming.” She shrank into a cat and was out of sight before I could blink.

  We started packing our things as quickly as possible.

  “What do you think it is?” I asked Grim.

  “A hunting party,” he replied. “It could well be. We should leave now.”

  A rustling noise came from the undergrowth. We all froze.

  Bekind trotted out then transformed to say, “There’s a group coming this way. Following our tracks, it looks like. Leave the rest. We don’t have time for the saddle. Get on the road! We need to run!” She turned back into the cat and ran off.

  Realtín flew after her without making a smart remark. That had me more uptight than anything else. I ignored the pain as my limbs cried out for mercy and climbed onto Dubh, who did his best to help by bowing as low as possible. Riding bareback was yet another thing for me to master. Grim mounted in front of me, and then we were off. I looked over my shoulder. We hadn’t covered up any evidence of our being there, and we had left too many supplies behind. At least I had my bundle from the Miacha. I dipped my hand into it for a bitter leaf to chew on while we rode.

  Dubh rushed through the undergrowth and made it out onto the road. Realtín and Bekind were way ahead, but Dubh caught up almost immediately.

  “He’s like the wind,” I whispered in awe.

  Way behind us, I saw a light between the trees, but the sound of hooves had stopped. Either Dubh had outrun them, or they had stopped to investigate our camp. I hoped it was the former.

  “He’s a true faery horse,” Grim said proudly, patting Dubh’s neck.

  I gripped the reins tighter and leaned forward with Grim, going with the motion of the horse as I gripped his sides with my knees. I trusted Dubh enough to know he wouldn’t let us fall, but sweat and foam made his body slick. He was pushing himself to the limits. If we fell at that speed, we might not get back up again.

  I kept checking behind us but saw no one. The ride was relentless. And all the while, there was that prickling of fear down my spine that we would be stopped at best, tortured at worst. I had no idea who was behind us, but my imagination ran wild in the darkness.

  The sun came up before Bekind let us slow to a canter. We ran out of forest and came to the beginning of another huge meadow. We continued for a while until Bekind relented and stopped. Dubh seemed only too happy to stop, and Realtín was asleep in my fallen hood.

  Bekind turned into her human form, her face a little wan. She had grown so tired that she had occasionally rested on Dubh’s back, too. “We may as well rest a while,” she said. “They’ll never catch up to Dubh.”r />
  “Where are we?” I asked. The sun beat down, causing beads of sweat to pop out on my forehead. I felt a little dizzy.

  “Close to the Darkside. This is almost the last of neutral territory. We weren’t truly safe here, but we’ll never be safe when we reach the Darkside. We’ll be there by nightfall. We don’t have much time to rest, but we need to eat, and Dubh is winded.” She shielded her eyes from the sun and looked ahead. “I can see the Hollows from here. We’ll make it.”

  I slipped off the horse, but a strong wave of dizziness hit me. The world swam. Dubh held me up, but I sank to my knees.

  “Cara!” Realtín squealed, patting my cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

  Lying on the ground, I held my forearm against my head. “It’s the heat. I must be more tired than I thought.”

  “The riding is a lot for a beginner,” Grim said, “especially that mad dash in the night when she was already hurting.”

  “And she hasn’t eaten,” Bekind added. “She missed our meal last night.”

  “My blood sugar’s probably low,” I said. I hadn’t been keeping track, but my period was probably due. I wasn’t going to mention that, though. “I’ll be fine once I eat something. Sorry for being a wimp.”

  Grim ran off to find some water. He returned and held a wet cloth against my forehead. The coolness soothed me. The world stopped spinning, and soon, I was able to sit up again.

  “Sorry for scaring you, Realtín,” I said with a shaky laugh. “I feel much better now.”

  Bekind helped me to my feet. “Sit over here. You can eat some meat and fruit. You’ll feel better after a cup or two of water.”

  Dubh walked next to me, as if sensing I needed to lean on him. I held the reins tightly, determined not to fall again.

  “The riding has been too much,” Bekind whispered as she helped me get comfortable. “And in this heat. Your world was cold when you left. Perhaps it still is, but here—”

  I gazed up at her. “What do you mean, perhaps?”

  “Time doesn’t move here the way it does in your world,” she said, frowning. “It barely exists, at least in the way you know it. This is the land of eternal youth, Cara. Days may pass, but they are not the same as human days. The closer we get to the Fade, the less sense it will make to you when we return.”